I’m looking into my front garden.  The lawn and hedges are fresh and green.  Tall, delicate stems of verbena wave across my window.  Lavender is starting to release its aromatic scent.  There are roses in tight bud, others already opening to reveal layers of vibrant petals.  The beautiful colours capture my attention.  I feel happy and content as I take it all in.  But there’s something else; a weight of sadness and a sense of loss.  I know this moment won’t last.  Like everything else, it will pass.

The practice of mindfulness encourages you to take life moment my moment.  If you’re approaching the practice in physical or emotional pain, this can be a huge relief.  Suddenly the moment that was about to consume you, seems possible to live.  But there’s another side to this.  If everything in life is constantly changing, then so are the moments full of joy and happiness.  It can be heart-breaking to know you will never experience this moment again.  As your practice deepens you become acutely aware of this, watching everything in life come and go.

You wait, eagerly, as a rose bud starts to open and bloom, before dying and scattering petals on the ground.  You hold a loved one in your arms, knowing you will never have that hug again.  You watch the changing of the seasons and realise they represent the growth and death of all life.  Perhaps it is the most powerful reminder to awaken to the present moment; to enjoy the scent of the rose, to feel the touch of the loved one in your arms, and to embrace your favourite season?  It can be a painful lesson to learn, but it’s part of the journey of living fully and letting go.

I have responded in different ways when I’ve been aware of the law of impermanence.  Sometimes I’ve noticed myself clinging to the moment, attaching myself to something I can’t possibly hang onto.  Other times I’ve felt overwhelmed by sadness, grieving for a loss I’ve not yet made.  When I’ve been truly mindful of the situation, I’ve felt incredibly present.  In those moments I am experiencing the full richness of life, the highs and the lows, and I am reminded why I practice mindfulness.  In the words of Thich Nhat Hanh, “it is not impermanence that makes us suffer.  What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent, when they are not.”